Saturday, October 11, 2014

How to Make A Tree Round Table

I'm thinking that this is going to go down as a good year.This could be the year that all my 2 year old projects get done.

Already this fall I've finished this, and this, and this, and this.That's a lot of this-es.Perhaps though, my favorite this, is this

or actually, these

The thinner slice of wood came from a neighborhood tree that blew over in a storm. When the tree guys came to saw it into pieces, I bribed them into cutting me this slice as well as the smaller slices I used in my garden way back when.

The larger piece was one of the last pieces left from a tree that was chopped down in a nearby park. I think it was still there because it was incredibly heavy.I dragged Mr. Quirky out to go pick it up. We opened up the back of the SUV and squatted down to pick it up . . . and nothing happened. Nothing, except that strain you feel in your chest when you try to lift your car.We had to go pick up another friend to come and help us.We brought it home and rolled it into the garage to dry out.After about a year of drying I got out my chisel and hammer and started knocking off the bark.Some people use a grinder for this.I removed everything that was bark colored - which was really about an inch all the way around.It took a while to do this with a chisel but it wasn't too long. I did it all in one sitting of maybe a couple of hours.Then let them sit for - oh, maybe 6 months or so.That was a mistake.During that 6 months or so they both cracked.

I will say here that I don't have the scientific answer to
why the wood cracked. I do wonder if there is a connection between
removing the bark and splitting. But I do not know.

Dang it!And then . . .I sanded.and sanded.and sanded.and sanded.

Believe it or not this picture was taken after a considerable amount of sanding. See all those chainsaw marks? I wondered if I would EVER get rid of themI sanded with a belt sander and with an orbital sander.I sanded with 60 grit.Lots of it.I sanded for hours.I sanded for days.I sanded until I could no longer sand.I sanded on the top.I sanded on the sides.I did NOT sand the bottoms.Or at least not too much.Then I sanded with 220 grit.That went a little faster.Thank goodness!Then I went to Lowes and bought these casters.

I wanted rubber casters so they wouldn't scratch the floor if there wasn't a rug underneath. But man, they looked completely unlike I wanted them to look.So I wrapped the outside of the wheel (the part that actually rolls on the floor) with painters tape and sprayed them all with Rustoleum's Oil Rubbed Bronze Enamel.

They look quite a bit better, don't you think?I screwed them on the un-sanded side of the table and a table was born! If you look closely you can see that I had to shim one of the wheels to help balance the table.

Then I went to the basement and found the hairpin legs that I bought from an estate sale just to put on the thinner table top. The thinner table is covered with 3 layers of hemp oil and then about 8 coats of Homer Formby's Tongue Oil Finish.The thicker table has been treated with about 3/4 of a bottle of hemp oil.

It's weird how the wood is so irregular in color - especially on the sides.I'm getting used to the flaws.They are wonderful.They are interesting.They are heavy.They are perfect!

I especially love the cracks.If you came here to find out how to make a wood stump table stay tuned for a short version of the instructions.If not just skip down to the comments and tell me how wonderful my tables are. I need to hear that - after all that sanding.To make a tree stump/slice table:Tools needed:ChiselHammerOrbital sanderBelt sander (not imperative, but they do work faster)Lots of 60-80 grit sandpaper220 grit sandpaperLegs, casters, or whatever you want your table top to sit onA product to finish and protect the wood - you pick your favorite, I prefer the finish I got with just the hemp oil.What to do:Let the wood dry out for a few weeks. You may actually get a puddle underneath the wood.Remove the bark with a chisel and hammerSandSandSandSandAttach legsFinish and protect the wood with the product you chose.That's it. It's that simple.

I do buy those casters from Lowe's, but time I get home I paint them rusty colors so when I need them they are ready. I LOVE these tree slices. The cracks give them character and the coloration is beautiful. the tree tables belong in a design magazine.

Karen, that is truly amazing! Thank you for sharing! You are the Star Feature tonight at the Before & After Wednesday party at The Dedicated House. Here is the link to this week's party. http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2014/10/before-after-wednesday-week-32.html Hope to see you again at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

Those tree stumps are gorgeous as coffee tables. I have a few trees that need to come down. Recently, I had been wondering what I would do with the stumps that would be left over. These coffee tables are a great way to use as much of the tree as I can.http://www.precisiontreecare.com/tree-care

Ha ha! I had to search to find your tree table tutorial and saw by the comments that I was already here! You've blown me away twice now. (There's something to be said about senility and how everything old is new again.)

Impressive! Cannot wait for the next idea. Given a free hand, no telling what your young man will create! The law of diminishing returns is at work here – new technology equates to startling new creations – old technology equates to few new creations.Kind regards

Belt sander certainly are a much rougher application when compared with almost all sanders and are generally only important for particular projects strenuous quick eradication or hard exterior skill point gain. They've also been widely used to get rid of coloring or other is done via resources.

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This blog is about stuff I make, stuff I paint, stuff I do, and cake. I like cake. I've pretty much been a maker of stuff all my life. I often wonder if any of the prized, hand-crafted, gifts I gave my friends while I was growing up still exist. Maybe in a museum somewhere? If only I'd had a blog back then...

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